Tucked away in the Aravalli hills in Rajasthan, the beautiful Alila Fort Bishangarh is an hour-long drive away from Jaipur and a three-hour drive from Delhi. The warrior fort, which is 232-year-old, is now a renovated property that houses a total of 59 rooms and suites. The restoration and transformation took as many as 13 years to complete. However, the original fort and its magnificence are still intact and ample care has been taken to ecological restoration and the reconstruction of new residential areas. The hotel is replete with the courtly flavour of Shahpura’s royalty.
The Alila Fort Bishangarh is a one-of-a-kind example of the Jaipur Gharana architecture that is inspired by the Mughal era as well as the British era. The warrior-fort turned heritage hotel has its own holdings, which include the charming Bishangarh village and its Havelis (mansions).
The hotel had a clear vision and intent of keeping the concept, design and operation in line with its focus on protecting the surroundings. With ‘sustainability’ at its core and a major tool to refurbish and develop the hotel, the Alila Fort Bishangarh intends to respect and conserve the local way of life and traditions in all activities. It is a common sight to see chullahs, handi and khulhad (utensils made of mud) being sourced from the Bishangarh village and used for daily purposes. The lush, in-house organic garden and 100% biodegradable packaging for guest supplies are some of the ways the hotel sets an example of best ecological practices. Furthermore, they take measures in the area of environmental responsibility by regularly monitoring the air quality index, using solar systems for the hot water generation, LED lights in guest rooms and public areas, etc. The hotel contributes to the tourism sector through the three pillars of sustainability – financial, communal and environmental. The heritage hotel is perpetually in the quest of providing meaningful experiences to their guests while creating awareness about sustainability matters and encouraging these practices among them.
The culinary experience at the Alila Fort Bishangarh is sure to enliven all five senses. The four specialities themed restaurants, viz. ‘Amarsar’, is based on the cuisine inspired by the Silk Route, ‘Nazaara’, an outdoor dining venue with slow dining and spectacular views of the Aravalli Hills, Haveli, while the poolside restaurant with the Mediterranean inspired farm-to-table cuisine and ‘Madhuveni’, the bar and cigar lounge famous for its unique Tapas menu and ‘Kachchawa’ a champagne bar, coffee, chai, and cakes lounge.
SUSTAINABLE EXPERIENCES
A TASTE OF RURAL LIFE
Immerse in the activities of local daily life. Start your experience by trying your hand at household chores such as milking a buffalo or goat, and cooking authentic dishes in the rasoi, a traditional kitchen with a firewood stove made from bricks and mud. Relish staple foods and fresh hand-churned buttermilk. End the meal with homemade kulhad masala chai and scenic views.
JOURNEY TO DISCOVER BISHANGARH
Experience the local life, culture, and craft traditions of Bishangarh on this fascinating tour. Begin with a visit to the ancient Narsingh Maharaj Temple to witness the rituals of morning prayer. Then stroll through the streets of Bishangarh village that bustle with morning routines and activities, stopping to meet and share a cup of masala tea with a local family in their 150-year-old haveli. Along your journey, visit some of the village’s most well-known artisans of handcrafted jewellery, carpet weaving, and pottery, where you can try your hand at skills passed down through many generations. Stop by the flour mill and the barbershop, where you can experience ‘champi’, a traditional Indian head massage.
ZERO MILE CULINARY EXPERIENCE
At Alila, there is a greater emphasis on sustainable sourcing from our organic garden & farms around the Fort. Experience an organic farm trail and do foraging with our chef. The plant-based menu from farm to table lunch offers regional and seasonal flavours of the land in a serene setting with food cooked traditionally with wholesome wellbeing. Guests enjoy the serenity and calmness under the tree amidst a farm and the food being cooked in front of you on the mud stove to experience the menu features based on the seasonal harvest.
SPIRITUAL JOURNEY TO AMARSAR
Take an early morning jeep ride through the serene Aravalli hills, across the sand dunes to the small hillside village of Amarsar to visit Kalka Mata Mandir, a temple situated 500 meters above sea level. Kalka Mata is considered the local deity of Amarsar, attracting worshippers to offer their prayers. Guests enjoy the spectacular views from this setting, followed by breakfast on the hills.
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